The former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania finished in first place in 62 of Iowa’s 99 counties, including Mills, and lost the statewide poll by just eight votes to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the Republican Party’s perceived front-runner.
In the closest race in the history of the Iowa Caucuses, Romney edged Santorum, 30,015 - 30,007. In Mills County, however, Santorum was victorious, garnering 163 votes (31 percent), compared to 132 (25 percent) for Romney and 84 (16 percent) for third-place finisher Ron Paul. Former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich finished fourth in Mills County, followed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.
Santorum and Bachmann were the only two candidates to make campaign appearances in each of Iowa’s 99 counties. Santorum visited Glenwood in October while Bachmann came to town in late December.
While over 500 Republicans were participating in their party’s caucuses, conducted at various sites throughout Mills County, less than two dozen Democrats were on hand in Malvern for their party’s county-wide caucus.
President Barack Obama is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Caucus goers in both parties spent time discussing potential platform issues for their respective parties and making delegate appointments for upcoming county conventions.